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Decreased gray matter diffusivity: A potential early Alzheimer's disease biomarker?
Author(s) -
Jacobs Heidi I.L.,
Boxtel Martin P.J.,
Gronenschild Ed H.B.M.,
Uylings Harry B.M.,
Jolles Jelle,
Verhey Frans R.J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2011.11.004
Subject(s) - precuneus , diffusion mri , biomarker , white matter , imaging biomarker , gray (unit) , superior frontal gyrus , posterior cingulate , psychology , magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , grey matter , medicine , nuclear medicine , cortex (anatomy) , radiology , functional magnetic resonance imaging , chemistry , biochemistry
Background Gray matter atrophy, an important biomarker for early Alzheimer's disease, might be due to white matter changes within gray matter. Methods Twenty older participants with significant memory decline over a 12‐year period (T12) were matched to 20 nondeclining participants. All participants were magnetic resonance imaging scanned at T12. Cortical thickness and diffusion tensor imaging analyses were performed. Results Lower cortical thickness values were associated with lower diffusion values in frontal and parietal gray matter areas. This association was only present in the memory decline group. The cortical thickness–diffusion tensor imaging correlations showed significant group differences in the posterior cingulate gyrus, precuneus, and superior frontal gyrus. Conclusions Decreased gray matter diffusivity in the posterior cingulate/precuneus area might be a disease‐specific process and a potential new biomarker for early Alzheimer's disease. Future studies should validate its potential as a biomarker and focus on cellular changes underlying diffusivity changes in gray matter.